Tom Ryan faces bigger challenges than keeping the GAA’s numbers up

Big shoes to fill: Tom Ryan, the GAA’s new director general, will have a tough job on his hands when he takes over from Paraic DuffyBRENDAN MORAN

Tom Ryan, who was appointed as the GAA’s new director general yesterday, made his first public appearance as director of finance in February 2007. It was his solemn duty to announce an increase in ticket prices — fivers and tenners — and on any other day that would have led the GAA news. But that was the week when the England rugby team were playing in Croke Park so, alongside Ryan at the press briefing, the GAA president Nickey Brennan was fielding charged questions about national anthems.

In every other year he had no cover. For an amateur organisation the GAA’s rank and file has an adversarial interest in the GAA’s money (Where did it come from? Where is it going? Why?). During Ryan’s term…

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